Abuja mosque: Sheikh Khalid secures fresh appointment as chief imam

Sheikh Nuru Khalid, the suspended Chief Imam of the Apo Legislative Quarters Central Mosque who was suspended on April 2 and then officially disengaged on April 4 by the Mosque Committee, has announced securing a job as officiating imam of another congregation in Abuja.

Sheikh Nuru Khalid disclosed, Monday, barely hours after the termination of his appointment by the Committee of the Apo Legislative Quarters Central Mosque Committee in Abuja, that he has secured the position of chief imam at the

Reacting to his sacking, Monday, Sheikh Khalid described the decision of the Mosque Committee was ‘a necessary price he had to pay for identifying with the suffering masses and speaking truth to power.’

Sheikh Khalid further disclosed that he has been given a fresh appointment by the Management Committee of a new Jum’mat Mosque behind the Central Bank Nigeria, CBN Quarters, Abuja.

The Imam further added that he is set to lead his new congregation with effect from Friday, April 8.

“My sack is a reflection of how Nigeria is today. Many people are hiding under the cover of religion to perpetrate all manner unwholesome acts.

“Such people would stop at nothing to take away people like me.

“This is the price we pay for aligning with the people and identifying with their sufferings.

“By the Grace of Almighty Allah, I will be leading my new congregation this Friday, because as clerics we need a platform to operate.

“There’s a Jum’mat mosque we built behind the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Quarters, in Abuja; I will now be leading the congregation there.”

It would be recalled that the Mosque Committee of the Apo Legislative Quarters, in Abuja on April 2 suspended its Chief Imam, Shiekh Nuru Khalid, for offences said to border on ‘inciting the public against the government’ during last Friday’s sermon delivered by him.

On April 4, the Committee officially disengaged him as chief imam of the Apo Legislative Quarters Central Mosque II.

Sheikh Khalid was alleged to have berated the Federal Government over its handling of rising cases insecurity perpetrated by bandits and terrorist who have laid siege to communities in the north, while asking Muslim faithful to hold their local representatives accountable by refusing to vote, since, according to the imam, ‘that is the language the politicians understand.’

In the sermon, the imam hinted at some measures that electorate should devise should the authorities fail to protect their lives.

“Nigerian masses should resort to only one term which is – protect our lives, we will come out to vote; let us be killed, we will not come out to vote, since it’s only elections that you people know,” he added.

On the Abuja-Kaduna train attack by terrorists, the imam said: “Everyone condemned the incident, except the bandits. So condemnation is not enough. The president should visit the state to sympathise with the victims.

“The president has been to Kaduna for campaigns but couldn’t go to the state on a sympathy visit,” he had said.

In suspending the Islamic cleric, Chairman of the Mosque Committee, Senator Saidu Muhammed Dansadau, in a statement, a copy of which was sent to BBC Hausa Service, said the committee suspended the embattled imam over his sermon that it deemed ‘inciting public outrage’.

“I am informing you that you have been suspended from leading prayers in the Apo Legislative Quarters Mosque from today being April 2nd, 2022 until further notice.

“The decision was taken out of the inciting Friday sermon you delivered on April 1st, 2022; where you advised people not to vote come 2023 general elections unless politicians respond to some critical questions.

“You should have advised them to vote out those that transgress the Almighty and breach people’s social contract as well as the state,” the statement read.

According to the Mosques Committee, Sheikh Khalid’s sermon negated tenets of Islam.

The committee has immediately appointed Malam Mohammad who will deliver Ramadan Tafsir while Malam Abdullahi will be leading Friday prayers.

However, rising to the defence of the embattled sheikh, former senator  who represented Kaduna Central senatorial zone at the National Assembly, on Sunday, said the cleric has ‘demonstrated fidelity to his faith.’

Reacting via his verified Twitter handle (@ShehuSani), the senator said: “Sheikh Nuru Khalid dusted the mirror the Clergies used to show GEJ and he showed it to the President and his colleagues couldn’t stand it.

“Khalid has demonstrated fidelity to his faith, to his conscience and to his conviction.”

Continuing, Sani said: “The suspension of the Imam of Apo Friday Mosque Sheikh Nuru Khalid by the Mosque Steering Committee is unconscionable. His criticisms of the Government reflects the views of most Nigerians. He spoke truth to power at the right time. I urge the committee to reverse the decision.”